The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-01-06
LOADED FOR BEAR.
Farmer McCue's Experience with a Shot
gun and with Bear in Pennsylva-
mia.


MIA.
Joseph McCue of Sullivan County.
Pa, is little set in his opinions, but
owns up like a man when he finds that
he is wrong. The other day he was
working in his turnip-patch, which is
right across the road from his house.
There are not many neighbOrs IN the
part of Sullivan County where Mr.. Nc
Cues farm is, which is the Beaverkill
country, near the Ulster County line.
Mr.. McCue had heard a quail whistling
IN his turnip-patch, and had taken his
shotgun with him, thinking that maybe
he might get the quail for his supper.
As the farmer worked he was finally
brought with his face toward the road,
and he caught a glimpse of something
passing along. Farmer McCue raised
himself up. As he looked toward the
road his eyes opened very wide. As
they opened Mr.. McCue exclaimed:
.'By jee!'
What the farmer saw was bear, and
it was slouching deliberately along in
the road past the house. There was
nothing but brd-shotln Farmer Nc
Cues gun, but he felt that he must get
that bear. He seized the gun and fred
both barrels at brun. The bear stop
ped, looked in a deprecatory manner at
the farmer, and then passed on. The
farmer watched it until it disappeared
in bend of the road. Then he ex-
amined the hammers Of his gun and
blew in the barrels. Satisfied that the
gun had gone off, he exclaimed:
Missed him, by ieer'
Farmer McCue finished his work in
the turnip-tield and went to the house.
''If 1 had gone out loaded for bear"
said he TO his wife, Il couldn't have
seen my way, the quails would have
been so thick. But there / was laying
for quail, and what do flush but a
bear as big as a yearling colt! If that
bear bothers me tomorrow, though, I'll
be sorry for him, and I'll load the old
gun now. Mother, count me out thirty
seven buckShot for each barrel.
You mean nine, Joseph" said Mrs.
McCue.
''Thirty-seven, mother, for each bar
rel"
Nine buckshot. Joseph, is a big load
for any gun, and will kill an elephantw
Nine buckshot won't hurt a coon,
seven is what l want, but il isn't enough.
make sure. No, I'll take thirty-seven;
but thirty-seven amt enough.
So Farmer McCue put in a double
charge of powder and thirtv-seyen
buckshot in each barrel. Mr.. McCue is
a good farmer, but his early education
as n hunter was sadly neglected.
Now let that bear trespass on NE
again, by ice" said Farmer McCue.
The next day he went to work again
in his turnip-tield His gun, loaded for
bear, was with him. He had no idea of
seeing the bear, SO that when in making
turn in the field he came almost face
to face with it, evidently eniovirg itself
among the turnlps, from the way 1t was
pulling them up and munching them,
the farmer was obliged to open bis eyes
wide again and eXclajm, with more
vigor than before:
by jee!'
Farmer McCue was bound to get the
bear, however, and, backing off . few
feet to where his gun lay, he picked it
up, took good aim at the bear, and fred.
Mrs. McCue heard the report at the
house. 1t made the windows rattle,
ana -everberated among the bills like a
Fourth of July salute. The farmers
wife ran to the door and looked over
into the turnip-feld. There was thick
cloud of smoke over by the stone wall
where she had last seen her husband at
work.
Joseph must have killed the bear" ="
| she said.
| But there was no bear and no joseph
| to be seen. Mrs. McCue ran down into
| the field. She had not gone far before
she saw the body of the bear stretched
out among the turnips. Looking further
| she saw Farmer AIcCue also stretched
! out among the turnipS, as suif as the
bear Just then Farmer Roe aud his
son, neighbors, happened to be driving
BY. Mrs. McCue hailed them. They
carried Mr.. McCue into the house. One
! side of his face was as black as his nat
| and swollen three times its natural size.
! His right shoulder was dislocated, and
| his arm was black and blue from the
/ shoulder to the elbow. 1t was a good
while before he could be brought to.
Then he opened his left eye, and, look
ing at his wife, said firmly but feebly:
Mother, thirty-seven's enoughr
| There was hole through the bear
amidships big enough to run stove
| pipe in. Farmer McCue. q little set in
his opinion as he is but willing to own
up like man when ne finds he is
wrong, is doing as well as could be ex-
pected. J. Sun